Ex Lower Merion maid admits stealing priceless' bust of Ben Franklin

That’s the status of former Main Line housekeeper Andrea Lawton after she admitted to having sticky fingers and stealing a “priceless” 18th Century bust sculpture of Benjamin Franklin, created by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, from the Bryn Mawr home of one of her wealthy ex-clients.

“This is a priceless work of art that was stolen from an individual who had it in his home so it’s incredibly valuable,” said county First Assistant District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, referring to the Ben Franklin bust that has an estimated value of about $3 million. “We’re talking about a bust of Benjamin Franklin that was made by Houdon, one of the most incredible artists.”

Lawton, 47, who listed an address along Hazelhurst Street in Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to felony charges of burglary and conspiring with an unidentified, unindicted conspirator to commit burglary in connection with the August 2012 theft from the Black Rock Road home.

In addition to the Franklin bust, Lawton also admitted to stealing a framed, autographed image of renowned composer and conductor Victor Herbert, valued at about $80,000, according to court papers. That piece, which also includes an image of a conductor’s baton, has not been recovered.

“It is a framed picture where he made notes all around the edges of it from the different pieces that he had worked on,” said Steele, describing the stolen picture.

The Franklin bust was recovered, albeit cracked at the breastplate, at the time of Lawton’s September 2012 arrest at a Maryland bus depot as she returned from Alabama, where she also has ties. Authorities believe Lawton took the bust to Alabama where she hoped to find someone to purchase it.

The bust is currently at a New York museum undergoing restoration, according to authorities.

“This is a piece of history. There were only four sculptures made by the artist out of Paris, and this being one of the four, being stolen and then being recovered broken, is significant for American history,” added county Special Assistant District Attorney Devon Turner.

“When it was made, this may have been the best of the four pieces that were made of Benjamin Franklin at the time,” added Steele.

Judge Carolyn T. Carluccio deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about Lawton, who remains in jail without bail pending sentencing. Lawton faces a possible maximum sentence of 20-to-40 years in prison on the county charges.

In December, Lawton pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and faces sentencing there in May. The sentence Lawton eventually receives in county court could be stacked on top of whatever punishment she receives in federal court.

Steele indicated he plans to seek a lengthy prison sentence against Lawton.

“First of all, she broke a priceless piece of artwork which was made while Benjamin Franklin was alive and so that’s a consideration that we’ll bring to the court,” said Steele, adding another consideration is the fact the framed picture that was stolen is still missing.

Defense lawyer Michael John plans to argue for the county and federal sentences to run concurrently with one another.

“She pled guilty. She’s taking responsibility. She said she committed the crime. She’s remorseful,” John said on behalf of Lawton.

The owner of the stolen items, an elderly Philadelphia lawyer, was in court to witness Lawton’s confession.

“He is incredibly hurt by what has occurred here. One thing is recovered but broken and so he’s working through that and trying to get it back to the spot it was before this all happened. And the other item isn’t recovered and that’s irreplaceable so he’s incredibly hurt over everything that has happened,” Steele said.

Lower Merion detectives alleged Lawton worked for a cleaning service that had been hired to clean the Black Rock Road last summer. After being fired from the job on Aug. 21, detectives alleged, Lawton returned to the home on Aug. 24 and took the bust. She was seen leaving the home in a Chevrolet Tahoe as her former co-workers arrived to clean the house. The ex-coworkers discovered the bust missing, its pedestal left on the driveway.

“According to (witnesses), this pedestal had held a bust of Benjamin Franklin which all of the cleaners, including Lawton, were told was extremely valuable,” former Lower Merion Detective Gregory Henry, now a county detective, wrote in the criminal complaint.

Authorities believe Lawton had help during the theft but Lawton apparently has not identified her accomplice.

Prosecutors suspect several motives for the theft.

“One was the theft of something very valuable and the second, I think, came as a result of being fired by this cleaning company and so she was trying to get back at them,” Steele alleged.